Done!

Well, this blog ended a little sooner than the reading, but if you've been following the plan, you've finished a reading of the New Testament in 2007. Way to go.

If anyone is still showing up hoping against hope for a new post, this is it. If you'd like to make any final comments about the experience, please do so.

While this blog will remain as is to capture the flavor of the experience in 2007, I may create a new blog, copy the existing posts to that blog, and write posts for the readings that weren't posted on before. These will be back-dated so that they sort properly, forming a more or less complete record of commentary on the New Testament. If I do go ahead and do that, I'll put a notice on this blog indicating that I did.

Otherwise, I'll see you on January 1, 2008 at Creation to the Cross.

Revelation.

(To the Beatles' tune, Revolution.)

You say you want a Revelation
Well, you know
We all want to know the Word

You tell me that it's evil too soon
Well, you know
We all live within the world

But when you talk about destruction
Don't you know that it will all come out
But you know it's gonna be all right
all right, all right

You say it's all about salvation
Well, you know
We'd all love to see the plan

You ask me for a consolation
Well, you know
Get ready for the Son of Man

But it won't be funny
for people with minds that hate
All I can tell you is brother you have to wait
Don't you know it's gonna be all right
all right, all right
Ah

ah, ah, ah, ah, ah...

You say you want transformation
Well, you know
We all want to change our head

You're in a bad situation
Well, you know
You better do just what He said

But when you see horses and hear the trumpets sound
You know Final Judgment is coming 'round
Don't you know it's gonna be all right
all right, all right
all right, all right, all right
all right, all right, all right

Thanksgiving 2. 2 Thessalonians 2.

Disturbed? Shaken? Don't quite get it? Paul has to help the Thessalonians out. And he does. With information that he's apparently given them before. (This is probably the key information in the chapter, the correction he provides in the first few verses, but I'm going to focus on what happens next in the letter.)

After that, though, just as in the first chapter, Paul says it's the right thing to give thanks. This time it's for God's election of these brothers and sisters to salvation. And Paul was privileged to be the one who shared the good news that they responded to. That sharing of the gospel is the call to salvation.

There's something important to look at about God's choice, and about salvation in this passage. Here's the translation from the NET Bible:

"But we ought to thank God always for you, brothers and sisters loved by the Lord, because God chose you from the beginning for salvation through sanctification by the Spirit and faith in the truth. He called you to this salvation through our gospel, so that you may possess the glory of our Lord Jesus Christ." (2 Thessalonians 2:13,14 NET)

There are those who focus on the word "chose" in this passage. I think it is an important word, especially when one looks at the subject of this verb: God. But of equal importance, is the object of the sentence and the modifiers to that choice. The object is "you" (the Thessalonians) but applies equally to us. But what were we chosen for? Salvation. How? Through the Spirit's setting us apart, and faith in the truth. What truth? Well, the truth in the good news that Paul shared with them, the way in which they were called to salvation. That truth is Jesus, "the way, the truth, and the life." Paul put it this way in Romans 5:8: "But God demonstrates his own love for us, in that while we were still sinners, Christ died for us."

In other words, God has chosen us for salvation -- this is what we are meant for. That salvation, however, comes in response to a call for us to respond to. God has done the work as Christ on the cross, but He also insists that we must receive that work in belief that He's done the work.

So why is Paul thankful? So much so that he "shoulds" on himself. I think the answer is two-fold. The primary reason, because it is so much larger, is that God didn't have to do this for us. It's His unfathomable love for us that lead to such a gracious act. He really had only one requirement set forth in the garden -- show your understanding of Who I am by being obedient in one thing only. And Eve and Adam both failed. As have we. Paul knows further, that Israel continued to fail in its task to be the people God asked them to be -- His chosen ones who would receive the benefit of His grace as a covenant promise. And Israel failed to keep the covenant. And so God fulfilled the covenant through His Son, Jesus. And every follower of Jesus gets what God wanted all along for us -- to be set apart, living set apart lives, holy as God is holy. This is a really big thing and it's no wonder Paul once again gives thanks to God.

I think Paul was also thankful that his labor played a part in the state of the Thessalonians. He was able to give the call they responded to. How cool is that? While some folks seem to have a problem with the idea of "evangelism", which is nothing more than sharing what's important in your life, imagine the added measure of thanksgiving you'd have if your own sharing was the call that someone finally heard and responded to. (I don't think Paul is discounting the work of the Holy Spirit, and neither am I.)

Paul was a person who had much to be thankful for. Catch a glimpse Thessalonians. He might have said, "I praise God that you are saved. Do you see that? It's bigger than anything else. Remember it, and stand firm in the face of adversity."

Thanksgiving 1. 2 Thessalonians 1.

Sunday I was struck by the joy expressed in our walk to the Joash chest, bringing our offerings to God in thanksgiving. Pastor Clark made a comment about the excitement and waving as the children filed through. Did you have that same sense as the adults filed past? Do you experience any sense of worship as you see your brothers and sisters in Christ, whether it's in the atrium or in the worship center?

Paul was able to worship simply by thinking about or hearing about the people in the different churches he had founded or visited, or just knew of.

We ought to thank God always for you, brothers and sisters, and rightly so, because your faith flourishes more and more and the love of each one of you all for one another is ever greater. As a result we ourselves boast about you in the churches of God for your perseverance and faith in all the persecutions and afflictions you are enduring. (2 Thessalonians 1:3,4 NET)

It's the right thing to do, says Paul, thanking God for what is taking place in the lives of fellow believers -- for flourishing faith and abundant love. We have the opportunity every day to give thanks to God, to worship Him, simply by remembering the work He's doing in the lives of those we know and love. Do you experience this in the presence of your Christian family? On a Sunday morning, do you see God at work in the faces of those you see gathered together? In someone you briefly greeted? In the face of a choir member?

This is thanksgiving week. Paul chose to be thankful for the work of Christ in the lives of others, for blessings that we might not consider blessings. Perseverance in the face of persecution. Endurance in affliction. We know that Paul was equally thankful for the blessings we think of as blessings. But for those receiving his letter, it must have been a tremendous encouragement to hear Paul write that their faith and love growing through adversity was a glory to God and a witness and encouragement to others. And so, out of this passage today, is there someone who needs encouragement in your life? Someone for whom you truly do give thanks to God? Don't hold back, then. This is a week to share your own abundant love, a gift of the Father, perfectly expressed in the Son.

Great lines. John 9.

I don't know how universal this is (in America anyway), but our family accumulates lines from movies like they were photos stuffed in a box. (Does anyone do that anymore, or do we stuff them on a computer disk somewhere?) My guess is that it's common, since the American Film Institute has a top 100 movie quotes. Our family has a somewhat eclectic collection. It includes many of the famous lines, but other lines delivered with an interesting inflection or accent, or lines that fit family circumstances are more the norm. So while "Mama always said life is like ..." from Forrest Gump is the memorable quote (#40 on the list), our girls are more likely to burst out with "Run, Forrest, run." For years, a simple line from Mrs. Miniver, shaped how our three daughters addressed one another. In the movie, set during the London Blitz, the vicar delivers a stirring speech that begins, "This is the people's war!" But our girls were captivated by the son of the Minivers who is a cheery, naive, young soul who goes off to join the army to fight the Nazis. Every entrance he makes in the movie seems to start with a "Hello ..." The line our girls picked up on was "Hello, dad." said with an aristocratic, English lilt. And so it went ... younger daughter steps into the room and says to oldest sister, "Hello, dad." And oldest sister responds, "Hello, sonny."

Chapter 9 of John's gospel is filled with great takeaway lines and mini-scenes like that. I'll get to those in the next paragraph, but first a couple other thoughts. Remember that chapters are artificial divisions in these writings. Even so, this passage fits into a neat package, one story, of a length that matches other "chapters." One story in the chapter. A great story. I can imagine John really enjoying writing up this account, a smile on his face as he recalls how this blind beggar confounded the Pharisees with his plain-spoken words, and the seeing/blind contrasts and paradoxes in the rabbi's words and teaching.

First quote (John 9:9): Some people said, “This is the man!” while others said, “No, but he looks like him.” The man himself kept insisting, “I am the one!” Can you imagine the people talking amongst themselves as if the formerly blind man doesn't exist. Maybe shouting in the background in a DeNiro, Taxi Driver, voice, "You talkin' 'bout me? You talkin' 'bout me!"

Second quote (the simple report -- John 9:15b): The beggar is asked twice about his restored sight, once by the people, and once by some Pharisees. In both cases, his answer is essentially the same, and straight reporting: “He put mud on my eyes and I washed, and now I am able to see.” No extra words -- "it's a miracle, praise God, yippee skippee." We don't know, maybe the man's inflection or excitement said all that. Like the woman in Star Trek IV (the whale movie) who had been given a pill by Dr. McCoy, and as she's wheeled down the corridor is shouting, "The Dr. gave me a pill and I've got a new kidney." I'm sure that some times our witness needs to be this simple and matter of fact -- "I decided to follow Jesus, and now I'm able to see."

Third quote (the parents -- John 9:20,21): “We know that this is our son and that he was born blind. But we do not know how he is now able to see, nor do we know who caused him to see. Ask him, he is a mature adult. He will speak for himself.” Once again, no one seems to want to pay attention to the testimony of the blind guy. Here, it's how the parents protect themselves by answering the Pharisees' questions with indisputable facts, but with no conclusions or opinions about those facts that gets to me. "Go ask him for yourself." Maybe they said this like Tevye in Fiddler on the Roof in the opening scene when he introduces the song, Tradition, by talking about tradition:

For instance,
we always keep our heads covered,
and always wear a little prayer shawl.
This shows our constant devotion to God.
You may ask,
how did this tradition get started?
I'll tell you.




I don't know.

Two really great quotes (John 9:25, 27b): “I do not know whether he is a sinner. I do know one thing – that although I was blind, now I can see.” and “Look!" the man exclaimed. "I told you once. Didn’t you listen? Why do you want to hear it again? Do you want to become his disciples, too?” (NLT) This is the place where I hear John chuckle thinking about those Pharisees, with all their learning and nuance and rhetorical skill, all twisted up by a simple fact, the blind man can see, and a simple conclusion, "this isn't hard to grasp, but you keep asking, so you must be really interested."

Final quote (the devastating rejoinder -- John 9:41): “If you were blind, you would not be guilty of sin, but now because you claim that you can see, your guilt remains.” The Pharisees are ready to argue with Jesus, dispute his claim that they're blind, and he turns the tables on them. If only ...

In the beginning ... John 1.

Beginnings are so important. John starts his gospel at the beginning of time. No, that's not quite right. Maybe at the creation of time. However exactly we might describe this moment, it's the parallel to the Genesis account. "In the beginning, God ..." "In the beginning was the Word ..."

Volumes have been written about the first fourteen verses of John's gospel. His beginning that tells of the beginning. John speaks of the other John, the baptizer.

John testified about him and shouted out, “This one was the one about whom I said, ‘He who comes after me is greater than I am, because he existed before me.’” ... John said, “I am the voice of one shouting in the wilderness, ‘Make straight the way for the Lord,’ as Isaiah the prophet said.” ... John answered them, “I baptize with water. Among you stands one whom you do not recognize, who is coming after me. I am not worthy to untie the strap of his sandal!” These things happened in Bethany across the Jordan River where John was baptizing. (John 1:15, 23, 26-28 NET)

More testimony from the baptizer:

On the next day John saw Jesus coming toward him and said, “Look, the Lamb of God who takes away the sin of the world! This is the one about whom I said, ‘After me comes a man who is greater than I am, because he existed before me.’ I did not recognize him, but I came baptizing with water so that he could be revealed to Israel.” (John 1:29-31 NET)

Parallels to the Old Testament are heaped onto the beginning.

• The Word was life, which was light -- let there be light.
• The law through Moses, grace and truth through Jesus Christ.
• John fulfilling Isaiah's prophecy.
• John working in Elijah's territory.
• Jesus, the Lamb of God.

As you read through this gospel over the next several weeks, you may want to come back each day and read these first 39 verses, soaking up the richness of John's beginning.

Two thoughts resonated with me this morning. John the baptizer said that he wasn't even worthy enough to be Jesus' servant -- "to untie the strap of his sandal." Thinking ahead, there will be more imagery associated with Jesus' feet? More importantly, how is it I can be worthy enough to be His servant?

The other thought was about way in which John (the gospel writer) has tied to Jesus to great figures and events from the text -- the law and prophets. John (the baptizer) in the continuation of Elijah's work. John also as the way-maker spoken of by Isaiah, and Jesus as the one for Whom the way was prepared. Jesus as Moses' fulfillment. And the allusion to father Abraham contained in the phrase, the Lamb of God. From Genesis 22:6-8:

Abraham took the wood for the burnt offering and put it on his son Isaac. Then he took the fire and the knife in his hand, and the two of them walked on together. Isaac said to his father Abraham, “My father?” “What is it, my son?” he replied. “Here is the fire and the wood,” Isaac said, “but where is the lamb for the burnt offering?” “God will provide for himself the lamb for the burnt offering, my son,” Abraham replied. The two of them continued on together.

Think of it. God will provide for Himself the lamb of sacrifice. And He did.

Friend of the family.

While most blogs have a Links section, I've refrained from doing that here. There have been plenty of links in the posts and pictures, but not a permanent list of other blogs. But I'd like you to be aware of, and visit if you're so inclined, a remarkable blog by Sarah, a BCC member studying in Cairo.

The blog is remarkable in several ways. Sarah is articulate and thoughtful. Her blog is a record of this new experience in her life, one that is pretty unique. It's full of pictures, in word and image. And it's a way to explore another part of the Mediterranean world; 21st century, yes, but I expect with some ties to the New Testament world as well.

Sarah's blog is an excellent example of what blogging is all about and can be found at http://www.aukake.blogspot.com. Leave a comment if something strikes your fancy -- words from home are always welcome.